OFFICIALS hired to clean up Parliament are leaving the MPs' expenses watchdog after clashing with Speaker John Bercow.

John Bercow has been accused of rigging appointments to the independent MPs’ expenses watchdog []

Four of the independent board members refused to reapply for their posts following concerns about interference by the Commons Speaker.

Sir Scott Baker, Jackie Ballard, Ken Olisa and Isobel Sharp are now set to step down in January - at a cost to the taxpayer of £100,000.

The four are said to have been angered after Mr Bercow demanded they re-apply for their jobs in a process partly overseen by a former MP who was vehemently opposed to the publication of MPs’ expenses.

The Commons Speaker has now been accused of rigging the appointments in “revenge” for its crackdown on what members can claim after the officials were told their terms would not be automatically renewed.

After Mr Bercow put a former MP and a member of his own committee on expenses on the panel, Labour MP John Mann – said that: “This looks like the Speaker’s revenge for the unpopularity of IPSA among MPs.”

This looks like the Speaker’s revenge for the unpopularity of IPSA among MPs

Mr Bercow argued all appointments should be based on fair and open competition.

However, IPSA chairman Sir Ian Kennedy warned that the move risks being seen as an attempt to muzzle the watchdog.

Details of the row are contained in 51 pages of correspondence between Sir Ian and Mr Bercow between April and July, published yesterday.

In one letter to Mr Bercow, Sir Ian said: "I am sure that you would not wish the temporary unpopularity of decisions to be perceived as providing grounds for challenging the continuing membership of those making the decisions.

"It is in nobody's interests for expenses once again to become a live issue.

"There is much at stake here, not least the reputation and future standing of IPSA and indeed the reputation of Parliament," he added.

The row came as a jury ruled that former Labour Margaret Moran falsely claimed more than £53,000 in expenses while in office.

IPSA took charge of MPs' expenses in 2010 after the scandal that engulfed Westminster the previous year.

However, tough new rules sparked fury among many politicians, who complained that they were having to subsidise their work and that claims were taking up too much time.

IPSA is carrying out a review of MPs' pay, amid calls for salaries to be raised, and has signalled that gold-plated pensions will be slashed.